Summary of 2016 Financial Services & General Government Appropriations bill

The 2016 Financial Services & General Government Appropriations bill is merely a vehicle for accomplishing the most extreme policy priorities of the Republican majority.  It would undermine key elements of the Affordable Care Act and Dodd-Frank financial reform, diminish women’s access to legal health services, meddle in the District of Columbia’s internal affairs, undermine the President’s Cuba policy, and prevent fair treatment of internet content to benefit the interests of a few large corporations.  The bill rewards tax cheats – not honest hardworking Americans – by failing to provide sufficient funding to enforce tax law and assist taxpayers.

Highlights of 2016 Financial Services & General Government Appropriations bill:

2015 enacted:                         $21.57 billion                         

2016 President’s request:      $25.05 billion

2016 Committee mark:                      $20.25 billion

The Chairman’s mark provides:

• $10.76 billion for the Department of the Treasury, which is $2.7 billion less than the President’s budget request and $762 million less than the 2015 enacted level.
• $10.11 billion for the Internal Revenue Service, which is $2.82 billion less than the President’s budget request and $838 million less than the 2015 enacted level.
• $7.3 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding for the Judiciary, which is $50 million less than their budget request and $219.5 million more than the 2015 enacted level.
• $678 million for the District of Columbia, which is $81.8 million less than the President’s budget request and $1.6 million less than the 2015 enacted level.
• $1.5 billion for the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is $222 million less than the President’s budget request and equal to the 2015 enacted level.
• $852.5 million for the Small Business Administration, which is $7.6 million less than the President’s budget request and $35 million less than the 2015 enacted level.
• $675.9 million for the Executive Office of the President, which is $46.8 million more than the President’s budget request and $12.3 million less than the 2015 enacted level.
• $8.4 billion is allowed to be spent from the Federal Buildings Fund, which is $1.9 billion less than requested and $803.3 million less than the 2015 enacted level.
• $4.8 million for the Election Assistance Commission, which is $4.8 million less than the President’s budget request and $5.2 million less than the 2015 enacted level.

The Chairman’s mark also includes the following policy riders:

• Prohibits funds from being used to subsidize any Federal health insurance plan that provides coverage for abortion services.
• Prohibits federal or local District of Columbia funds from being used for abortion services, and prohibits federal funds for needle exchange programs.
• Prohibits federal funds to carry out District of Columbia laws to reduce penalties associated with schedule I substances; and restricts both Federal and local District of Columbia funds to enact a law to legalize or reduce penalties associated with schedule I substances.
• Prohibits funds to implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual mandate and prohibits HHS transfers to IRS for ACA implementation.
• Prohibits funds for the IRS to finalize any regulation or other guidance to clarify the 501(c)(4) determination process.
• Prohibits the implementation of the net neutrality order until the current court cases are resolved.
• Prohibiting the FCC from regulating rates of either the broadband or wireless internet providers.
• Prohibits funds for healthcare, climate change, auto, and urban affairs ‘czars’ or substantially similar positions.
• Prohibits funds to require entities participating in the Federal acquisition program to disclose campaign contributions and prohibits funds for the FEC to require disclosure of political contributions, contributions to tax-exempt organizations, or dues paid to trade associations.
• Prohibits funds for the President to sign signing statements, executive orders, or Presidential Memoranda that abrogate legislation passed by the Congress.
• The bill prohibits funds from being obligated out of the mandatory SEC reserve fund.
• Makes the budgets of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Office of Financial Research (OFR) subject to the appropriations process starting in FY 2017. 
• Prohibits the Department from enforcing guidance for US positions on multilateral development banks engaging with developing countries on coal-fired power generation.
• Prohibits travel to Cuba for educational exchanges not involving academic study pursuant to a degree program.
• Prohibits the importation of property confiscated by the Cuban government.
• Prohibits funds that would allow any financial transactions with an entity owned or controlled by the Cuban military and intelligence agencies, any employee thereof, or any immediate family member of such employee to occur. 
• Prohibits funding to implement E.O. 13690 on establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard.
• Prohibits funds for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to implement, finalize or enforce the proposed rule on voluntary recalls and 6(b) public disclosures of information.